New York is about as modern as any city in the world. Once it began marching northward in 1811 with its grand grid design, all of the new blocks were both spacious and predictable. Over the years, the never-ending building boom replaced older structures with new modern spaces at remarkable speeds. Even in old New… Continue Reading
The Third Eye
I’ve always believed that as time marches forward, we will come to understand more things that are mysteries to us today. For example, if we could transport people from 1618 to 2018, they would have great difficulty understanding how a light bulb works. The evidence of light would be apparent, but the concept of the… Continue Reading
More Guns Equals More Safety?
Seventeen people were killed on February 14th in a Florida school—the latest in a series of mass shootings we’ve endured in public settings over the past few years. The automatic responses have already been issued: the Left is calling for gun control and the Right indicated that this is not the time to discuss it. … Continue Reading
Let’s Stop Screaming Yes and No
I’ve written a few times about the great debate involving controversial historical monuments in this country. The two sides in the matter are deeply dug into their positions. One group yells, “No, you can’t take them down—it’s history,” and the other screams, “Yes, you must take them down because they’re hateful.” In my opinion, the… Continue Reading
1904- What a Year!
My process in writing begins with the selection of an interesting point in time. Failed Moments, which took place from 1790 to 1863, began with the Haitian Slave Revolution and ended with the American Civil War. A Wave From Mama, set in Brooklyn, spans the great period of change between the end of the Civil… Continue Reading
When You Attack the UK, You Attack US
I’ve been reflecting on the attacks in the UK over the last several months and while I cringe when I hear about this type of thing happening anywhere in the world, I must say that the UK attacks feel particularly close to home. Given that I have no close personal connections to the UK, I… Continue Reading
The Difference Between Celebrating and Not Forgetting
The New York Times published an article on May 27th entitled, “In Popular Park, a Point of Contention.” The opening line provides the angle for the piece: “ST. LOUIS—The angry, divisive fight over public symbols of the Confederacy has swept through Columbia, S.C., Birmingham, Ala., and New Orleans. This week the debate made its way… Continue Reading
Applause for Mushroom Clouds
A full orchestra provided a sound track to the images on the screen for an audience, clad in their finest evening attire, which represented the elite of society. Missiles were launched and video tracked their progress across the Pacific. At times the crescendo of the music surpassed the applause, but in the end the applause… Continue Reading
They Don’t Belong Here
You know the ones…they took our jobs and drained our resources…they need to go back to where they came from. A major newspaper explained their racial inferiority through a series of detailed articles and things became uncomfortable for them—some left. Bus companies did their part and offered one-way reduced fare tickets. The Federal government hired… Continue Reading
A Pop Quiz
This month’s blog will appeal to students of history and is presented below in question format. Yes, that’s right. I know I didn’t announce it…I’m giving you a pop quiz! If you read my books, I think you’ll know most of the answers, and if you haven’t yet had the chance, this will give you… Continue Reading